MONOCOTYLEDONS 265 



Order Gramineae. True Grasses, plants usually herbs. 

 Internodes of stem hollow. Leaves in two rows ; the 

 base forms a long split sheath, and at the junction 

 of this with the linear blade is a membraneous ligule. 

 Flowers in spikelets (p. 201, Fig. 138) enclosed by 

 bracts or pales. Perianth absent, but sometimes the 

 two lodicules are regarded as a perianth. Stamens 

 usually three with slender filaments and versatile 

 anthers. Pistil of one carpel, and generally two 

 feathery stigmas. Ovary superior, one-celled, and 

 contains one ovule. 



Floral formula p o, a 3 + o, g 1 . 



This is one of the largest orders of flowering plants and 

 contains upwards of 300 genera and 3,600 species ; they 

 occur in all regions of the globe and often form dominant 

 features in the vegetation, especially in temperate zones. 

 They are of great economic importance, and are a valuable 

 source of food for many domestic animals, as the order 

 contains not only the chief fodder plants, like the meadow 

 and pasture grasses, but such cereals as Rice, Wheat, Maize, 

 Oat, Barley, Rye, &c. In tropical countries, and in China, 

 the Bamboos are used by the natives for innumerable 

 purposes, e. g. for food, shelter, clothing, furniture, weapons, 

 and implements. 



Order Liliaceae. Plants mostly perennial herbs, hiber- 

 nating by means of rhizomes or bulbs. Inflorescence 

 usually a raceme, more rarely a cyme. Flowers 

 regular, hermaphrodite ; perianth of six free or united 

 lobes, often petaloid in two whorls of three each. 

 Stamens usually six, hypogynous. Carpels three, 

 syncarpous ; ovary superior, three-celled with many 

 anatropous ovules. Fruit a capsule or berry. Floral 

 formula p 3 + 3, a 3 + 3, g la) (Fig. 177). 



This large order contains many species familiar either as 



